Kiama Council is helping pet owners get to grips with the new rules for registering their four-legged friends.
The NSW Government has introduced new rules for microchipping, registration, and desexing of dogs and cats.
There is also an online NSW Pet Registry that we recommend owners to join.
The changes include:
Microchipping:
All cats and dogs must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age or when sold or given away – whichever comes first.
Registration:
Pet owners are required to register their animals on the NSW Pet Registry by 12 weeks of age. If you register your pet after they are 12 weeks of age a late fee may apply.
Additional fees for non-desexed animals:
Dog owners must pay an additional fee if their pet is not desexed before six months of age. For cats, an annual permit fee applies if the animal is not desexed by four months old.
These changes help improve pet management and make it easier to reunite lost pets with their owner.
We ask our pet owners to familiarise themselves with the new regulations and register for the online NSW Pet Registry as soon as possible.
https://www.petregistry.nsw.gov.au/
Once registered you can pay fees and keep pet details up to date.
If your pet is already registered and your details are current, no further action is needed.
You will notice that the NSW Government has increased fees from 1 July in line with Consumer Price Index (CPI):
24-12 Annual CPI adjustment to companion animal fees for 2024/25 - Office of Local Government NSW
Got questions?
Our staff will be at our community engagement pop-up at the Kiama Farmers Market and Jamberoo IGA next week, to help pet owners understand the new regulations:
- Kiama Farmers Market - Wednesday 7 August: 2pm to 4pm
- IGA Jamberoo - Thursday 8 August: 3pm-4pm
